Potato Growers of England - RELAX !

... your livelihood is NOT under threat - from me anyway !! The "Poundland Potato Crop" has now been harvested ...

 The bag ...

The result ...

Total yield = 1kg

... and with a 1kg bag of Tesco Everyday Value spuds being knocked out at 69p ... I reckon I'm 31p down on the whole project !!!  Just about enough for tonight's tea I reckon !

Hey ho - let's hope for better profit margins on the tomatoes and peppers ...

  

... next - off for a walk down the canal with a small lemonade promised at the Diggle Hotel ...

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Football Blogging Awards 2012

Results from same:

Best Male Blog - The 4th Official

Best Female Blog - The Liver Bird

Best New Blog - My Old Man Said

Best Veteran Blog - Six Tame Sides (whoo hoo !!)

Best Club-Specific Blog - Anything Palmeiras

Best Podcast - Chelsea Football Fancast

Best Comedy Blog - Fitba Thatba

Best Video Blog - The League of Ireland Interview Show

... and a jolly good time was had by all (although I can't speak about the apre-ski down in the fleshpots of Deansgate Lock, Manchester - "veteran" here went home for a nice cup of horlicks (OK several beers - but you know what I mean ...).

Here's to next year !

Today's first jobbie I think will be harvesting my "Poundland Potato Crop" - seeing as there's a severe potato shortage in the UK due to the cr*p weather - I'll put 'em on EBay later !!

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Mossley v Burnley ...

... have to be honest - 'twas another (IMHO)  thrown together Mossley team (cries of "who he"; "who he" were resonating around the ground) ... up against a Burnley "Development Squad" - as in last season's Youth Team who had therefore played together as a team for 12+ months ...

Whatever - it's a friendly - a "training session+" if you like - and the result is certainly not that important - but I'll tell you anyway; 'twas 2-0 to Burnley ... one very early goal and one very late goal.  In that sense therefore Mossley did well for a good 75 minutes, albeit mostly in a defensive role - which will explain the lack of pictures today - or the large amount of Burnley-based pics if you like !!! They're here anyway ...

Mossley 0 Burnley 2

Home after - shower/shave etc before heading down to Stockport for the National Football Blogging Awards evening ... and yes ...  I'm a winner !!!  Up for two categories (Best Male and Best 'Veteran') - I managed to get the "old codgers award" -(OK by Veteran they meant blog that's been going for more than 3 years !!) - a couple of pics from tonight - with me on the "other side of the lens" for a change ...

"Well - veteran - "Six Tame Sides" began as a fanzine back in 1991 - when 'cut and paste' meant scissors and Pritt Stick etc etc"- and so he wobbled on for a good 2 minutes - a proper 'acceptance speech' !!

Tonight's "Oscar" (with an unfortunate spelling mistake lower down - but hey - I'M A WINNER !!!!)

Home - more celebratory beers - sort football pics out - and this - best call it a day 

Other results from today:

Curzon Ashton 2 Denton Town 3 

Darwen 2 Ashton United 1

Stalybridge Celtic 0 Hyde FC 3

Irlam v Droyslden called off due to damaged sewer pipe at ground (!!)

Gone no further than that tonight - will find out all the goss later today

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It's going to be a long day ...

... so I'd best go get work out of the way first !

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Beer of the Month !!

Just for info - this has been on at the "Britannia" in Mossley for the last few days ... and it's GORGEOUS !!!  I offer up ...

Incidentally - it's now official - as in on the "Britannia" web site - regarding the "Trans-Pennine Rail Ale Trail" - basically it's by "appointment only" after 1900hrs.  'Twas only a matter of time - I know I've mentioned it a few times on here, but what started out as a proper 'real ale' trail has descended into a cheap and nasty stag do/hen party/glorified p*ss-up turning good local pubs into 'no-go areas' for the locals at the weekend (even Stalybridge Buffet Bar serves real ale in plastic glasses on Saturdays !!! Would you drink real ale out of plastic ?? I certainly don't anymore)  Good to see honesty and integrity winning over the "fast buck" option - to be honest I can see this happening at other places as well ... it's certainly happened in other places such as Dublin and Riga - idiots and gobby loud-mouthed drunks (as most are at 1900hrs having been on the pop for 7+ hours) are just no fun at all ... some interesting posts on here as well.

Anyway ... my celebration of a top beer has 'gone off the rails' a bit ... it's Friday night - and I stayed dry for most of today - onwards to a very busy Saturday ... unless I think of something else (or find out some scoop) later.  Time for tea ...

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Doodson Cup Draw ...

... well the first couple of rounds ...

Preliminary Round - 6th November 2012

Salford City v CURZON ASHTON

1st Round - 27th November 2012

Lancaster City v Salford City/CURZON ASHTON

MOSSLEY v Warrington Town

The "big boys" (i.e. Ashton United) come in later ...

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"Moby Dicked"

... as in "Nice Phone - Shame about the Network" - aargh

O2 problems

weird last night at football - talking to other O2 users who said "No problems here !" - let's see what happens as the day continues - my message to all callers is "... honest I'm not ignoring you !!"

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Mossley v Oldham Athletic ...

... and the weather stayed nice ... all Day (as in even when I was working !!!) ... so all my doom-laden predictions from last night went right out of the window !

... word was - this was a very strong (almost first-choice) Oldham team (they're working on a much smaller squad this season - as are many teams at that level I would guess).  Not sure of the pre-season training start for either team, but the Latics certainly looked the sharper on the night.  OK ... one penalty, one smart finish and one crazy rebound-type thing, but they looked like they'd played together - unlike Mossley.  Not that it's so important - a good workout for the home team and some good touches as well (although I don't recall one shot on goal in the 90 minutes !!).  Good to see some of last season's squad returning as well - although a few faces were missing - and listening to the "Ultras", chants, maybe they know something that I haven't yet picked up on !!!  (THURSDAY MORNING UPDATE - Tom Denton trialling at Alfreton Town - played a trial game for them against Sheffield FC on Tuesday night - scored 1 made 1 in a 3-3 draw - now we know !!). A very good crowd as well - obviously it's not just me who's desperate for football then !! 

So ... 3-0 to Oldham Athletic - well deserved on the night - and it was good to see that the "footy lens" is still working OK as well - didn't go "overboard" tonight, but some pics from tonight at

Mossley 0 Oldham Athletic 3 - 11 Jul 12

Next stop will be Mossley v Burnley on Saturday afternoon - my apologies to all Stalybridge and Hyde fans in advance (they're playing each other on Saturday for the Ray Stanley Memorial Shield) ... but it's a family thing (as in daughter's "chap" is a Burnley fan - and he's bringing reinforcements down as well !).  Before game - work obviously - after game - wash and brush-up before heading down to Stockport for the National Football Blogging Awards evening - must write a "winner's speech" - just in case ... !!!

Anyway ... 2012/13 is now definitely on the move ...

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And so the summer continues ...

... another day out in the wet (squelch etc.) ... Belper Town's PSF @ Worksop Parramore postponed due to "pitch conditions" ... starting to panic about the Mossley game tomorrow night to be honest !!

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Emptying the Babycam - Food and Drink !

Some "rubbish" from the past 7 days or so ...

A Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding "Happy Meal" created for small boy (who was "eating later") !

Me trying to be creative with cucumber (oo-err missus !) on Saturday.

Love the name - wine from Saturday night (please be assured - I was drinking beer - although I DID try it - a touch sweet I thought !).

"Pimms o'clock" this evening (please be assured - I was drinking beer !!)

Football pictures coming soon - promise (better not be rained off on Wednesday night now- Mossley v Oldham Athletic that is !!).  Tomorrow's jobbie is to dust off the dust/charge up the batteries/buy a new scribbly note book - only then can season 2012/13 REALLY begin ...

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Monday Stuff ...

... seems that there may be a delay in the publication of the Evo-Stik fixtures for 2012/13.  Apparently the compiler is going through some serious "family problems" which may mean that the fixtures will not appear this Friday as originally hoped.  Thoughts go out to Glenn Thompson - at this time, family definitely comes first ... work a distant second.

... extra friendly announced for Mossley - at home to FC Halifax Town on the 17th July (kick-off 1945hrs) ...

... one on - one off ... the Stockport Sports v Stalybridge Celtic friendly on the 17th July is now OFF ...

... apparently Stockport Sports drew 1-1 with Llandraeder FC on Saturday - apart from the phrase "a dominating performance" I can find no more (did notice also that they've managed to re-sign Ricky Anane for the new season - on what I saw of him last season, that's one very good player in my humble etc etc) ...

... Hyde FC are on the telly !! Their home game against Luton Town has been moved to Friday 17th August to be shown live on the "Premier Sports" channel - apparently Luton fans not well chuffed (sure they could always fly up - they are sponsored by Easyjet after all !!) ... oh - and not forgetting ... in their first friendly of the season they drew 1-1 at Rhyl (report here)

Well - it's something for now ... give it 48 hours and we'll have some real football to watch/photograph/talk about ... huzzah !!

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It's July ... It's Summer ..

my arse !!!

(and a point for Mr Blogger.com - it's very annoying that you apparently CANNOT manipulate photos like you used to be able to do - sizing, positioning etc)

Yes - I'm on "early doors" at the moment (0645 start) - and after 3 hours inside it was 4 hours outside - aargh !  Regular readers may remember a couple of weeks ago we cancelled a camping weekend due to impending sh*t weather - 'twas re-arranged for this weekend - you can guess the rest !!! As it stands - it's July and our gas fire is on desperately trying to dry out coat/bag/pouch bags/trousers in time for similar cr*p weather tomorrow  !)

Football tomorrow - only two I know of are Rhyl v Hyde FC - and Stockport Sports v Llanrhaeadr - however ... it might be ex-Woodley Sports, but the game is being played in bloody Skelmersdale

Woodley Sports/Stockport Sports ... it's one of those teams that are just outside the "STS Radar", yet with a 3G pitch was always an option when all else failed.  However Woodley Sports are no more - we now have a completely new brand called "Stockport Sports" - they may have been relegated down to the North West Counties League - but no matter ... we're going full-time - we're appointing Peter Withe as full-time Manager - and a "full-time cook" allegedly (whilst still begging for various 'football-important' posts to be filled "on a voluntary basis") - huge amounts of money are being spent on "Stockport Sports Village" (twas a bombsite last season even when it was still "Woodley Sports" - obviously all a done deal even then) - they've even had the gall to rename the stadium (many may have known it as Lambeth Grove - but we all knew it as the Neil Rourke Stadium ... and to remove Neil's name is to me and many others an absolute disgrace - by all means re-invent a club -- but NEVER repeat NEVER lose the history)

No doubt I'll get down to Woodley sometime this season - yes 3G has it's advantages - but I'm a little unsure about the WHOLE set-up as it stands.  I know of a certain chappie (no names - no pack drill !) who is probably more up to scratch with developments - worth checking out other areas of the blogsphere for that ...

Anyway back to thread - drying out nicely - pizza has arrived - off to watch "Bourne Ultimatum" on +1  ...

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Some Early Cup Draws ...

... were issued today - here we go starting with ...

FA CUP 

Preliminary Round - 25th August 2012 (Winners get £1,750)

MOSSLEY v Bootle or Alsager Town

Northwich Victoria v CURZON ASHTON

1st Qualifying Round - 8th September 2012 (Winners get £3,000)

AFC Blackpool/AFC Liverpool/Prescot Cables v ASHTON UNITED

 MOSSLEY/Bootle/Alsager Town v Staveley MW/Hall Road Rangers/Bamber Bridge

Northwich Victoria/CURZON ASHTON v AFC Emley/Chadderton/Cheadle Town/Maltby Main

FA TROPHY

Preliminary Round - 15th September 2012 (Winners get £2,300)

Goole FC v CURZON ASHTON

1st Qualifying Round - 29th September 2012 (Winners get £2,550)

FC United of Manchester v MOSSLEY

Goole FC/CURZON ASHTON v Worksop Town

Ossett Town v ASHTON UNITED

FA YOUTH CUP

Preliminary Round - week commencing 3rd September 2012

Marine v STALYBRIDGE CELTIC

1st Qualifying Round - week commencing 17th September 2012

Lancaster City v Marine/STALYBRIDGE CELTIC

Prescot Cables v CURZON ASHTON

Tasty game for Mossley @ FC United in the FA Trophy - prize monies are damned useful for all teams, but a 1,700+ crowd at Gigg Lane - divided by 3 is also a useful grab !!

Haven't mentioned work today yet ... but I'm sure I will ... later ... once I've dried out - just thought it wise to get the football info up first (especially as the eyes of blogworld are now on "STS" !!!)

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Pre-Season Begins ...

Tonight's PSF between Glossop North End and Abbey Hey has been postponed - waterlogged pitch ...

I can say no more ...................... !

THURSDAY EDIT - OK I can - and just for "a certain Blackpool fan" in the Mossley area - the "before and after" at Ramsbottom United ...

 

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Let the Season BEGIN !!!!

Conference/BlueSquare/call it what you will (who remembers the "Alliance Premier League" ?!?) fixtures were out today - and all you need to know is here in one easy blog message ...

The Blue Square Prem starts the earliest - on 11th August ... and Hyde FC face a longish trip (OK here !) to face Braintree Town.

One week later the Blue Square North kicks in - Droylsden are at home to Boston United while Stalybridge Celtic face a trip up the M6 to Workington.

First "local derby" of the season sees Droylsden at Bower Fold on Bank Holiday Saturday 25th August - but it's looking at those early games for Hyde ...after the Braintree game it's four ex-Football League teams - OK Barrow and Southport were jettisoned last century but ... Luton Town will certainly be an early tester  - both on the pitch and off it (segregation/crowd control etc) - hopefully they'll be better organised than those twonks who were apparently in charge of the first of the Stone Roses gigs @ Heaton Park last Friday !!!

 Rest of August as follows:

DROYLSDEN

21 Aug 12 - Guiseley (A)

25 Aug 12 - STALYBRIDGE CELTIC (A)

27 Aug 12 - Vauxhall Motors (H)

HYDE FC

14 Aug 12 - Barrow (H)

18 Aug 12 - Luton Town (H)

25 Aug 12 - Mansfield Town (A)

27 Aug 12 - Southport (H)

STALYBRIDGE CELTIC

21 Aug 12 - Gainsgorough Trinity (H)

25 Aug 12 - DROYLSDEN (H)

27 Aug 12 - Colwyn Bay (A)

... and for those who want the 'full monty' ... I offer ...

Droylsden FC Fixtures 2012/13

Hyde FC Fixtures 2012/13

Stalybridge Celtic Fixtures 2012/13

and if you've the time and the energy ...

Full Conference Fixture List 2012/13

Next diary date - this Friday - FA Cup and FA Trophy draws ....

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Today's "Comedy Vegetable"

... it's 1830hrs - and I'm having a fag break betwixt cooking tea - for all you gourmets out there - it's roast duck with plum sauce, broccoli and roasted root veg - ducks in t'oven, plum sauce is reducing nicely and the veg go in after this short "blog break" !!).

And it's the root veg that gets today's award - on opening the packet of Tesco "Everyday Value" parsnips I came across one which made me think of something music based - what do you think ???

Roger Dean artwork meets parsnip - SNAP !

Tonight - I guess it's "Forza Italia" - at least England can then say they were "beaten" by the winners ...

(PS - new RM contract DID come through on Saturday - yep, another 3 months !!!)

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Not Football ...

The bottom of a pint of "Hop Four One" ...

... but possibly the next best thing !!! It was "Open Day" at Greenfield Brewery today - so after finishing work in Uppermill I walked back to Greenfield to catch the train home to Mossley - change, get camera etc and get next train BACK to Greenfield.  A quick pint in the "Clarence" (Otter Bitter) - check camera settings ...

AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHH !

Settings fine - it was just the "No CF Card" message ...

AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHH !

Run back to station - train back to Mossley - home to get bloody card - next train back to Greenfield - walk back towards brewery (and another beer in"Clarence" - brewery IS a fair trek from station - so pee stop was necessary - oh yes and another pint of "Otter Bitter" !!).  I got there in the end !!!!  Some pictures at

Greenfield Brewery Open Day  30Jun12

Get this bloody football started - at least then I know I'll be properly prepared i.e. spare/emergency CF cards/batteries in both big and little camera bags - must have walked miles today ... and that's AFTER work - and I got wet - several times instead of "just a few" ! Home - then watched "our Andy @ Wimbledon" - and then this ...

Mrs Smiffy back home from Melton Mowbray tomorrow - now what to cook for tea ???

(and tonight's "DVD of choice"  whilst fannying around with pics has been Neil Young's "Rust Never Sleeps" - a classic !)

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... and yet more cheerfulness !!!!!

"Six Tame Sides" makes it to the final - in two categories no less !!

http://www.footballbloggingawards.co.uk/categories.html

Grateful thanks to all who voted - let's see what happens next - looks like a night out after the Mossley v Burnley friendly on 14th July anyway ...

Things can only get better ... now I REALLY must sleep ...

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Stafford Rangers 3 Barnet 0

Not the best quality DVD (it's a copy of a video copy of an 8mm or 16mm reel I think !)...but ...

sod politics ... THAT's well cheered me up !

(Plus finding this pic as well - me at Wembley on that day in April 1972 - courtesy of the Stafford Newsletter)

  



















Me near front holding up Stafford Rangers scarf - you can just see a "hint of tank top" too - fashion icon !!!
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Some Political Meanderings ...

It's Friday night - Mrs Smiffy is "away for the weekend" - a few beers (not that many mind - I'm working tomorrow !!!) - and all I hear on TV is banks banks banks ...

Let's be blunt - they're (bankers) all criminals - and the politicians who wobble on about it are all similarly criminals ....

Where do I start ???  At the bottom maybe ...

- last week's wages that should have been paid in on Friday finally made it through on Wednesday this week - I was lucky - I could cope - but it's caused some serious sh*t for a lot of people - and as an ex-software developer - I know how it should have been done;

- we then learn that the banks are "fixing the rates" (OK Barclays are taking the stick at the moment ... but it's fairly obvious that ALL of the banks were in on it - cartel is a dirty word - but it's out there ... ) - and today there's more - they've been screwing over small businesses - those very businesses that the politicians have been telling us will get us out of the recession - ha !

- we hear the histrionics from both Tory and Labour about these so-called "banking miscreants" - those spokespeople are obviously not intimately bothered are they - because they're all rich (either through family wealth or being involved in banking themselves ...)

- Cameron gets involved in "Eurozone" talks - as if he's an important member of the squad - err we have the pound, not the Euro - so shut up and stay out of it - it's someone else's problem ...  why not stick to screwing over the under-25s in your own country ?? Yep ... let's get the kids to move back in with their parents ... certainly covers up the fact that there's not enough new housing being built - probably because the builders are only interested in building hi-spec houses for the rich rather than affordable houses for the "rest" (not enough 'margin' in the cheap stuff eh ???)...

Hopefully it won't be too long before the majority of this country's poplulation realise that we (the majority) are being taken for a ride by the "establishment" (politicians, bankers - you know, the sort of people we used to look up to). You vote Tory - you vote Labour - you vote Liberal (ha ha ha - you fools !) - it doesn't matter - they're ALL p*ssing in the same pot.  It astonished me how many people derided the "riots" - it was so "Daily Mail/Express/Telegraph" wasn't it ?  I truly believe that that are a large majority out there who try their damndest to remain within the "norm" - but secretly wish they shouldn't ... how many of these "comfy" people are not "comfy" - getting on in life (50+) - worrying about their jobs - worrying about their pensions - still having to support kids who can't leave home because they don't have jobs (or can't afford to get onto the property ladder) ? Why on earth do we now have "products" called 'payday loans' at obscene interest rates (a few years ago we used to slag off 'loan sharks' - now it's apparently legal !).

Footballers are supposed to be involved in this so-called "Respect" project - that's been a joke hasn't it ???   We the "ordinary people" have been brought up to 'respect' those above us - that is also a joke - and what really sticks in the craw is that these so-called "establishment figures" appear to be so far above the law - "I'm not resigning"; "I'll forgo my bonus" (still receiving £4m+ per year without it).  RM today announced £211m profits - boss Moya Greene receives £370,000 bonus - yet there have been 5,000 redundancies this year - it just doesn't add up.  Mrs Smiffy has this week been offered voluntary severance/redundancy - her diary is full, yet they (Tameside Council) are apparently happy to get rid - crazy crazy crazy ...

The gap widens ...  I could go on but I'm trying to keep some  kind of positivity in my life - back to work tomorrow - my "day off", but I've been asked to work it - and on a 24 hour per week contract (which finished today - no renewal contract yet - AND I'm already rostered to work next week - mad !), I've got to go for it ...

Rant over - we really DO need more football - although well done England cricket today/tonight (and hard luck Heather Watson !)  Going to watch a footy DVD now - the 1972 FA Trophy Final ...

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One of those Days ...

... when you wish you took a decent camera to work ... coming back from Uppermill towards Greenfield today - via the canal for a change - I came across this on the towpath, ironically (?!) close to the "Herons Reach" housing 'complex' (OK one single street !) ... this was as close as I could get - and for the second time in a week - I was reduced to cameraphone ...

Meanwhile in the world of football namesakes - I see Tom Cruise has moved from Arsenal to Torquay ... and closer to home there's a rumour that the ex-Ashton United player Tom Baker has left FC Halifax Town to move to Droylsden (this one needs to be confirmed though !). Got me thinking (for a change) about others ... James Dean who used to play for Stalybridge Celtic ... Paul Weller (who also apparently played a couple of games for Stalybridge Celtic in 2004) ... Michael Jackson (ex-Bury) ... Robbie Williams (ex-Altrincham) ... to name but a few.

The football season cannot come soon enough ...

One other "bit of a giggle" that came my way - from the Olympic Torch relay in Ashton-under-Lyne last Sunday featuring two Stalybridge Celtic fans - one as torch bearer and one as "comedy moment"  - I give you Martin Plant and Tony Worral !!!

(P.S. - wages came through eventually - just before the latest banking scandal broke !!!)
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In the words of Diana Ross ...

... for last weeks wages to appear in my bank account - yep a victim of the RBS computer software "glitch" - it was like old times listening to some geek on the radio this morning talking about 'batch processing' and 'rollbacks' ... quite brought a tear to my eye (actually that was probably due to the big 'minus sign' in front of a three-figure number !!). Panic ?? Naaah (in legacy software we trust !!!)

Some local football news - and very interesting it is too ... Ted Davies has joined Stalybridge Celtic ostensibly as "Head of Recruitment" (to quote Celtic supremo Rob Gorski), but I imagine he will get involved on various levels due to his experience and contacts - he spent a lot of time as Chief Scout for various Football League clubs and has been involved in youth development projects as well ...

 ... naturally the "interesting point" is that he spent last season at Hyde FC where he was very highly regarded before leaving (like pretty much everyone else - well almost) at the end of the season ... something of a coup here for Celtic - even some of the Hyde fans are wishing him luck in his new post - that's how much of an impact he made at Ewen Fields last year ! (LATER UPDATE - in the interests of balance ... there's a fair amount of vitriol appeared since I wrote the above as well ...)

July 1st draws ever closer - it's an important date in the non-league calendar - the date when non-contract players can start putting pen to paper for clubs - and hopefully the words "football news" can start appearing here a bit more often.

(actually a more important date for me at the moment is June 29th - when my latest RM contract finishes - no news yet of renewals either ... just keep going in I guess !)

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Questa è la vita

... as they say in Venice ... however, the best team went through didn't they ??  Must admit part way through the second half (when England REALLY were under the cosh) - and the Italians brought on Alessandro Diamanti - I expected the worst (if I had an online betting app, I would have been ready to put money on him scoring the winning goal - being well aware of his time at West Ham - in fact here's one he scored earlier - was praying it wouldn't be pens however - although it did look that England were playing for that ....)

Hey ho ... suppose next stop is "Come on TeamGB !!" ... although we'll get a few non-league friendlies under our belt before the Olympics kick off ...

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Tonight's Pre-Match Meal ...

1) Antipasti

2) Spag Bol

3) Semifreddo

... OK it's roast chicken really ... but this idea worked for the Ukraine game (the culinary equivalent of "lucky underpants" !!) so ...

No camping so went over to friends in Rochdale, stayed over, had walk this morning as well - and guess who completely forgot to take camera with him - epic fail !  However - it gave me a chance to try out the camera on the new cleverphone - it's not bad !

Right - let's finish that food and get ready for some football ...

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After the Lord Mayor's Show ...

... after the euphoria of last night ... it was back to earth with a resounding SPLASH today - a solid 4 hours walking in pouring rain (having already got wet through just walking from train station to office) - a truly AWFUL day delivering papier mache at times ... and naturally today I had loads of "sign-fors" - and the two delivery cards are now drying off on top of the fire - pretty much like everything else.

Even so (excuse semi-pun !) here's t'other one from last night ...

Plan was a camping weekend in Edale starting tonight (with me dashing back to work on Saturday and dashing back to Edale straight after) - that was suitably knocked on the head for obvious reasons ! Have heard - but not yet seen - about the moistness at the Isle of Wight Festival this weekend - at least I saw Pearl Jam "in the dry" !!  Cricket washed out as well (surprise !) - just need Greece to win tonight - although it doesn't look promising after the first 45 ...

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Pearl Jam - one from tonight ...

... last toon we saw as you have to remember that Manchester is a "24 hour city" whereby last trains out of town leave at 2300 ... and gigs finish later than this - aargh !  So Eddie and the guys start playing "Alive" at 2253hrs - we just made the train - hence the very "abrupt" finish on the video (courtesy babycam - hence quality leaves something to be desired - it even includes other peeps dashing out for similar 'last trains' I guess) - anyway suck it and see - twas once again a thoroughly awesome performance - tight, professional - and done with feeling - and a lovely Fathers Day pressie - thanks kids !!

... and when I get a chance ... I've got "Even Flow" to upload as well !!!

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One down ... one to go ...

Just watched the national cricket team ease to an 8 wicket win (on the internet of course - none of this Sky rubbish at chez Smiffy).  Home early enough to prepare a nice three course meal as well:

1) Kapusniak

2) Kotlety

3) Halushki

all to be washed down with a glass or two of Chernihisvskie

(for more information on this national style of cooking ... see here )

OK ... it's actually Pork in Cider (with a bottle of Bishops Finger !!)

Next stop - a large screen telly in a hostelry ... 


PS - While waiting for the Ukranian stew to bubble - I nipped out into the garden - and took this picture of a lesser spotted cabbage purple ... or some such butterfly/moth-type thing - unfortunately the bumblebee pix didn't work - my excuse is of course "wrong lens" (it was just a 'grab the camera moment' !!) - one for now anyway ...

...now time to eat ...
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Fathers Day ...

You get the weirdest presents off the kids ...

 ... but then when you open the third one ... it all makes perfect sense ...

... nice - very nice !!! 

A little bit of "checking back" through the blog brought up Leeds Festival 2006 (proof that this IS a "Veteran Blog" - don't forget ... Vote for Me - and I guarantee more football soon !!!) where they were my "Band of the Weekend".  Ironic really, as while I've been watching the footy etc "down the pub" this past week, I've also been seeing adverts on Sky for the Isle of Wight Festival this coming weekend which features Bruce Springsteen, The Darkness ... and Pearl Jam. 


(PS - anyone got any use for a packet of tampons ??!!?)
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Catching Up ... Slowly !!!

They call this a "footpath" !!

Got back Saturday evening - all trains perfect going down and coming back ... until that last "Three Mile Leap" from Stalybridge to Mossley (20 mins late - bravo Northern Rail ... OK the first "train" going down was theoretically Northern Rail - but it was actually a Rail Replacement Bus to Huddersfield so Northern Rail are NOT getting the credit for that !!).

A good weeks' walking - we clocked up just under 80 miles over the five "walking days", with about 60 of 'em actually on the "Ridgeway National Trail"  - tended to get wet just as we were getting towards the end of our walks each day - which left little/no time to get stuff dry (one of the first jobs when we got back !) - some good digs as well (B&Bs and pubs) ... some good food in the evenings ... and some good beer as well (once getting over the £3-60 a pint shock anyway !!) - even managed to get in at the tail end of a beer festival at the Fox and Hounds in Uffington !  Pub of the Week ? I reckon it was the "Inn With the Well" at Ogbourne St George (gets "Food of the Week" award as well !) ... although the rest of them all did well (Red Lion @ Avebury; Fox & Hounds @ Uffington; The Swan @ East Ilsley; Perch & Pike @ South Stoke; King William @ Hailey; The Chequers @ Watlington - it was just that "£3-40/£3-50/£3-60/even £3-70 a pint" that was the scary bit for us impoverished Northerners !!!  

A few pics from the week ...

The Ridgeway Walk - and More

So ... home Saturday evening, start drying stuff off, shopping/tidying/more washing on Sunday ... and back to work today !!  Finished in good time to prepare evening meal to within an inch of readiness (thus giving me two hours parole down at the Brit to watch the England game - can't complain about a draw really I suppose - always going to be a bit cagey at the group stage).  Home - eat tea - suffer massive migraine (been having a few of these recently - unable to pinpoint why at the moment - bit of a bugger ...) - wake up - finish sorting holiday snaps - and now this ...

Next job really is to scour the length and breadth of the "Six Tame Sides" area for more 'catch-up' info - found a few transfers on the Hyde site - spotted that Woodley Sports are now Stockport Sports (!?!) ... but that's probably a job for Tuesday night ...

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It's Taken This Long ...

... to get it together using cleverphone & wi-fi - hardly worth it really,as we should be home in about 6 hours !!

Luvverly Jubilee ?

... a "bit of a do" on our street today in aid of "our glorious leader" ...

 

cakes ....

flags ...

 

 ... and more of the same ...

... there were people there as well - but you know me - I don't 'do people' if I can help it (annoys Mrs Smiffy a lot when we're out on a walk - and I wait ... and wait ... and wait ... to take a pic after all the people have walked over the hill/out of the picture etc etc). 

Anyway - I'm on my holidays !!!!  Catching our first train (which is actually a rail replacement bus !) at about 0900 later today, heading for Swindon (eventually !!) before catching a bus down to Avebury - where the stones are (and the pub where Strange Fruit met for their re-formation - if this loses you - Google "Still Crazy" !!!).  From there - a 70+ mile trundle across the country towards Princes Risborough - apparently this walk pretty much follows a ley line across the country  - but that's Mrs Smiffy's territory -I just take the pics !!

Expect little on here next week - although I may try to do some updates via this new fangled phone thing wot I have got !!


(PS that Swiss Brass Band I mentioned yesterday (they're called Music Frohsin Oberburg)came 2nd in the Friezland contest !!)

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Whit Friday Bands

... somewhat lacklustre !!! Early start @ work meant early finish - a couple of beers (in strangely empty pubs) before going home.  Change, tea and then out for a stroll.  We headed out of Mossley down the canal - and we could hear nothing !!  There's now only one contest in Mossley ("up top") but no sound of brass at all ... down the canal and  arrived at the Friezland Band Contest.  Fairly busy people-wise but fairly muted - large gaps between bands didn't help (and running out of the "decent beer" - i.e. the Millstone Brewery stuff - didn't help much either).  Our band of choice was the one from Switzerland (didn't catch name unfortunately), but the whole event seemed ... well lacklustre - and it took me till nearly the end to get camera out of bag - weird !! So ... just a couple from the twelve (yes - just 12) I took tonight ...

...yes there IS a band called "The Camping and Caravanning Club Brass Band" !!

... some slo-mo with me avoiding flash !

That was Whit Friday - there were the usual "dickheads" out on the streets of Mossley as we left and returned - but that's probably every Friday - not just on this once "special" day.  So many of the band contests have "bitten the dust" due to lack of help/volunteers, police interference due to cr*p behaviour - and ultimately finance (the prize money has to come from somewhere !)  The morning walks of witness will surely continue ... but it seems that this great local institution is shrinking at an alarming rate - and turning into "just another Friday" - sad ...

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